$25 Target Challenge

The $25 Target Challenge is by far our favorite Christmas tradition. Tony dreampt this one up the first year we were married and we just finished our 4th challenge! It seems to get more fun every year. It's a perfect activity for a "day off."

We didn't really take a day off last week, but we felt refreshed after moving our offices from the church to a fireside table at Caribou in Coralville all last Thursday. Every once in awhile it seems to benefit our creativity levels to pack up our laptops and do our dreaming and planning from a new location that offers lots of caffeine and sugary pastries. It was a fun day of bouncing ideas off of each other and pounding out some planning and writing.

When we began feeling as if we'd worn out our welcome at Caribou, we headed over to Target for the $25 Challenge. The challenge is simple: We each get $25 and 25 minutes at Target to buy Christmas gifts for each other. The $50 we spend comes from Tony's "sock drawer money," so it doesn't really factor in to what we'll be spending on each other for Christmas...it's just for fun! When we got married, Tony had saved up a stack of cash he calls "sock drawer money." Whenever we head out for coffee together or sometimes when we go out for a nice dinner, Tony funds the trip with sock drawer money. He started saving in college because he wanted to make sure we always had money to date. How cool is that?!? Of course we realize these dollars won't miraculously replenish themselves, but it's been so fun to treat ourselves once in awhile without thought to the cost. Plus, the sock drawer money funds the Target Challenge which makes our Christmas extra fun.

I had a new strategy for the challenge this year. I had Tony walk around the store with me first to look at some things we needed to get for other people, and then I tried to be super sly and point out things I liked. Then, when I had things for him in my cart, I would cover them up with stuff for our house that I like, so in case he saw me he would either 1.) Be afraid I'm buying him boring house stuff for him or 2.) Think to himself "I bet she picked that up to show me and see what I think, I should go buy it for her." Sneaky, eh?

We crack ourselves up as we creep around the store trying to be super stealth so we don't accidentally see what we'll be getting. I can't tell you what I picked out for Tony until after Christmas, but I'll give you this clue - I always head straight to the Toys and Sports aisles. I didn't peak at what he got me (yet...just kiddin!), but I'm fairly confident my gift will include at least one pair of $1 ankle socks and 1 pair of mittens....those are staples for the challenge.

If you're interested in doing a $25 challenge, let me give you a few pointers.
1.) Target is a really good store for the challenge. We experimented with a $10 Wal-Mart challenge last year - not worth it. (Tony, if you're reading this, I'm sure I loved whatever you got me there. I'm just trying to help people out).
2.) Setting a time limit is critical. It adds to the thrill of the game and keeps you from waiting an hour for your indecisive wife.
3.) Make sure the store you choose has shopping bags or dark colored plastic bags. This, of course, prevents your spouse from being a dirty, rotten cheater and peaking through the bag. Target has those extra large red ones that work perfectly!

We'd love to hear about your goofy traditions too! Merry Christmas!

Christmas Presents

Creating Christmas traditions with Tony is so much fun! Bringing together two sets of family traditions and memories of Christmas can make for an interesting challenge, but we really enjoy putting pieces of each of our childhood memories together as we create new ones.

Tony loves buying Christmas gifts. He also loves wrapping them. Is that just plain strange, or am I strange for thinking that wrapping gifts is a tedious task that should be put off until the last possible moment? It's a good thing we have two Christmas trees because both of them are already nearly full of presents and it's December 12th. Growing up, there was never a present under our tree until Christmas Eve, so this whole tree full of presents in the middle of December thing sort of throws me off...and makes me feel really behind...until I remember I still have 13 whole days to wrap gifts. Ask me how I'm doing on that in 12 days.

Anyways, I love Tony's love for presents. He spoils me every holiday with incredible gifts! I will say, while he definitely values the quality of gifts, he may value the quantity of gifts even more. I can't fault him for that. There is something lovely about an enormous pile of presents stacked under the tree. Tony makes sure that whoever he's buying for receives lots of gifts, not just one big gift - that would only be one thing to wrap...BORING!

Lots and lots of presents and wrapping means we need lots and lots of boxes to wrap things in. If you were to open my pantry during the month of December, you'd find that it has been raided for any possible box. Cereal bags have been removed from their boxes, granola bars are in a pile, crackers are now in rubbermaid containers, frozen foods have been transferred to freezer bags. Tony is very resourceful when it comes to wrapping gifts. I never would have thought to use food boxes to wrap gifts, thank goodness I married a genius. By the way....are less and less stores giving boxes for wrapping nowadays? Sure seems like it, what a bummer!

Christmas is a beautiful time of year. We are blessed to be able to give gifts to those we love and to those around us who need to know the love of Jesus this Christmas. I'm teaching on the virtue of Joy this month for the children in our church. It's been such a blessing to me. While presents and traditions are fun and bring momentary happiness, the reason Tony and I can rejoice this Christmas is because we have surrendered our lives to a God who loves us, sent His Son to come to Earth, die on the cross for our sins and bring us forgiveness and salvation. Through Him we have an inexplicable hope and inexpressible joy. The last year has been tremendously heart-breaking for us in many ways. Christmas causes us to reflect on our recent heartache, but also allows us to rejoice in a God who holds our lives in the palm of His hand, who will never leave us, and who will allow us to be safe in His arms for all of eternity!

Part Time Game Tester

Part Time Game Tester. That's one of my job titles. It goes along with being married to a YP I guess. At least once a week Tony will come into my office with an assortment of strange objects and make me test a game idea with him. He's constantly thinking of new ideas for games or on the hunt for great ideas other people have come up with. (Thank goodness for Minute to Win It!) He tries to test every game before he attempts it at Youth Group...it gives him a little better idea of whether or not it will be a flop. There are the few times that games have been complete failures even after we’ve tested them and thought they were sweet, but we think we’re pretty good at predicting the likability of a game.

Just this week I was at my computer working on an agenda for a meeting when Tony comes in, places a glass right in front of my keyboard, and starts throwing pencils at my desk to try and get them to bounce off the eraser and into the cup. Thank goodness I have cat-like reflexes, or I might be down to one eye. I put an end to that game pretty quickly. No pencils were landing in the cup.

If you were at the church late last night, you would have found Tony and I standing on the youth room stage, at the edge of a ping pong table top. We were bouncing ping pong balls off the table top and onto a table full of whip cream containers set up like tic tac toe. I was the first to get three in a row! That game’s a keeper!

Another day we were standing side by side by a microphone stand set up with two rolls of toilet paper on it, racing to see who could unroll their TP the fastest. That turned into the TP 500 – a new youth group favorite.

I must admit, Part Time Game Tester is a title I just don’t mind keeping. Send game ideas my way if you’ve got any worth trying!

Cheers and Tears

Last week we worked through Thursday and took Friday off to head to the UNI dome and watch our WACO Warriors compete in the State High School football tourney. We're so proud of those guys and we love getting to watch them play. We sat down front, close to the sidelines, and ended up in front of the spot the cheerleaders were for most of the game.

The whole experience proved it all over again - my husband is the greatest guy ever. The cheerleaders were cheering their hearts out throughout the game, but the fans around us were soooo quiet. The silence didn't phase Tony for a second. Every time those cheerleaders asked for crowd participation, he was on his feet cheering at the top of his lungs. Of course I joined him. Later that week, even some of the football players commented that even when no one else was cheering along, they could hear Tony's voice. Cool, huh?

After spending over three years with some of these guys and girls, we really have grown to love and admire them so much. When the senior boys went forward to receive their trophy, I looked up at Tony and his eyes were all filled up with tears. (Thankfully he's not one of my avid readers because he may be embarrassed I shared that :)). I thought it was awesome. He really does love those guys and love his job.

The Coffee Shop

We spend a lot of time (and a good deal of dollars) at our local coffee shop - the Coffee Corner. We love the owner, Gina. We love the lattes (Cari) and coffee (Tony), and we love the conversation. Many of you have heard me say that I was not particularly pleased when the Lord called Tony and I to small-town Iowa. Over time, however, he has molded our hearts and given us a deep love for the people of our community. One thing I have come to appreciate about our small town is the guarantee that wherever you're headed, whether the grocery store or the coffee shop or the YMCA, you're bound to see a familiar face. (Yes, there are days when this falls on my list of things I don't like so much, but usually it's a positive.)

I've blogged about the old men at the coffee shop before and I must bring them up again. Each time we go in, there's a table full of anywhere from 5-12 gray-haired men in the back corner sipping on coffee. Tony always heads straight back to greet them, and they smile as they see him coming (who wouldn't?!?). Then they start in with their questions about when we'll be having a baby (or some other topic to harass Tony). I always end up laughing while listening to the boisterous sound this crew makes as they laugh so hard at themselves they about roll off their chairs.

This morning it went a little something like this..."So Tony, do you have the nursery painted yet? Is it blue or pink? Doesn't your wife want to start a family?" Each question with hysterical laughter in between. Tony laughs along as he passes out a hand shake to each one of these great guys. It's a blessing to get to know people from different generations. We learn much from their experience...and their humor. :)

When 2 Become 1

It's a beautiful thing, wouldn't you agree? God's unique and miraculous design of bringing two completely different human beings into a loving relationship and making them one! Don't start thinking too hard about that or your brain may start to ache. After all, we can't totally understand God's design. I'm okay with that. I'm satisfied knowing that I can trust that God's design is perfect and good, even when it's just too big for me to fully comprehend.

God's grace has been so real to me since I've been on the receiving end of the incredible blessing of marriage. Part of that blessing is the joy and hilariousness that comes along with being married to Tony. At the end of days like today I just can't help but smile and laugh.

When two become one it's not as if two sets of interests suddenly mold into one. That’s what keeps life so stinkin’ entertaining! I’m a better person today (particularly in the area of athletics) than I was 3 years ago because I’ve been challenged by a husband whose interests…well, they just aren’t all the same as mine. Thankfully, we share a number of interests. Thankfully we each brought unique interests to our marriage.

Today’s entertainment made for a fun conglomeration of our interests. My interests were certainly satisfied by a good, long shopping trip to Von Maur and a trek through the mall. Is there a better store than Von Maur? I’m not sure there could be. We hardly ever make our way over to the mall Von Maur is at, so I’ve really missed it. Don’t let me fool you, it’s not my intent to pretend as if I spend a ton of time and money shopping…not the lot the Lord dealt this lady. :) I grew up tagging alongside my Mom and cousin Heidi on many a shopping trip to Von Maur, and my life in rural Iowa has made me appreciate a trip to my favorite store all the more. Thankfully, my husband is incredibly sweet and patient and let me spend a LONG time browsing the sale racks – a great way to spend a day off. He even decided we should start a new tradition – Thanksgiving gifts, so he bought me a precious new dress and had it wrapped all beautifully for me to open thanksgiving day. Oops…I was supposed to forget what was in there.

From Von Maur we went on to Scheels. There’s nothing Tony really enjoys about shopping except going to Scheels (and spending time with me, of course). He could spend a good deal of time browsing their sale racks…and he did. We left with a Thanksgiving present for him (can’t tell what it is, he’s supposed to forget) and a new “winter” coat. Tony spends most of the winter in shorts, and his winter coat is what most of us would consider a wind breaker. I don’t understand, and I’ve realized I never will. His new winter coat is what most of us would call a fleece. Better than a windbreaker, I suppose, and he looks good in it.

After dinner at Buffalo Wild Wings, we hit the road. We got home at about 7:30 or 8 and my poor hubby was about stir crazy after a day of shopping. It was pitch black out, super windy, and the temp was in the 40s. The perfect tennis playing weather, right? Brrrrrrrr! This is where I find the whole “2 become 1 thing” to be so amusing. I felt obliged, after my kind husband pretended to enjoy shopping all day, to say yes (and say it enthusiastically) when he asked, “Hey Cari, want to go play tennis?” I bundled up from head to toe, grabbed my racquet and hiked up the street with Tony for a few games of tennis under the lights. It was incredibly fun. Something I never would have done if my life had not been joined with Tony’s. I’m thankful for that.

This whole post reminds me so much of some of the stories my Grandma Lois has shared with me about her marriage. I never had the opportunity to meet my Grandpa Victor, but Grandma Lois keeps his memory alive by telling us stories of him often. She has told me a number of times that Vic encouraged her to try so many things that she never would have on her own. I really appreciated that perspective going into marriage. Now I understand what a beautiful thing she shared with Vic, and I get to share with Tony.

A Different Kind of Date

I treasure the memory of our day off last Thursday. It was the most spiritually refreshing, rejuvenating, awe-inspiring day I've had in a long time. Thank you Jesus!

Wednesdays are long days...I know you others in ministry can understand. We start the morning with prayer at WACO high school at 7:30 and end the night around 10:30 after cleaning up and getting organized after our Wednesday evening programs. They are long, but wonderful days. The opportunity we have to share God's truth with young people is incredible, seeing the hard work of preparation come to fruition is rewarding, and getting a million hugs and smiles from my beloved little guys and gals fills my tired heart right up! Last week I even got a "I missed you so much, Cari" from a darling 4 year old whose life at home is just plain sad. Those kinds of words are straight from the Lord, a little shot of encouragement and energy to give me what I need to keep pouring myself out for His work.

Don't be fooled. That last paragraph sure makes it sound like I always have an oh-so-positive, ministry-is-the-best kind of attitude, and I sure wish I did. The truth is - I get tired, really tired. I forget to depend on the strength of the Lord, try to depend on mine, and run out really fast. I get frustrated and discouraged. I find myself completely confused and lonely. I get so busy with the work of ministry, that I forgo quiet moments spent alone with my Savior.

Oh my...that's an honest look at what you'd find if you took a close look at my heart some days. Consider this a confession. I know as well as you do that is by no means what the heart of one of God's chosen, beloved daughters should look like. I let sin creep in.

As Tony and I packed up our offices last Wednesday around 11 p.m. - I was feeling the effects of trying so hard to minister on my own strength...truth be known -I don't have it. It is only through the power of the Holy Spirit that I can do Kingdom work. That's the crazy thing about vocational ministry...it is all about letting God work through you. It is all about making sure the glory is His. It's an interesting concept, one I continue to wrestle with. He gifts you with what you need to do the work, but you must rely completely on Him. I suppose that should be true anywhere, but in ministry we must rely completely on the presence and work of God to accomplish our goals. With that said – constant, close communion with the Lord is critical. I was desperate for that communion.

We both knew that meant our Thursday “date day” the next day was going to look a little different. We needed a “date day” with the Lord. I could hardly wait to wake up! I was so looking forward to my retreat with the Lord!

We packed our lunches, our Bibles, our journals, some books, some music, our baseball gloves, and a frisbee and set out for Lake Darling State Park. It was a GORGEOUS, warm fall day! I found a spot at a picnic table overlooking the lake (the lake is currently drained, so it’s not all that beautiful, good thing I have a great imagination.) For the next few hours, I sang praises at the top of my lungs, wept at the thought of how good and faithful my God is to meet with me, poured through the Psalms, and studied the book of Titus. There was no one around…just me and the Lord and that was exactly what I needed. The Lord spoke so much truth into my heart. He is SO FAITHFUL!

Let me encourage you others in ministry with a verse that blessed my heart – “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.” Galatians 6:9-10.

Tony and I ended the afternoon with some Frisbee, baseball, and a nice long hike along the Iowa prairie. We pretended we were Bear Grillz and tried to figure out how we would survive in such rough terrain were we left to fend for ourselves. Gotta love Man Vs. Wild.

I love my God, I love my husband!